A Rally Ride…

This past weekend, we adjusted our clock’s and put them forward an hour into British summer time, and this same weekend the Moto Guzzi club UK, have the first of two rallies, this one being the “Clox forward” rally, the other in October is of course the “Clox back” rally. Now as it happens I have not made a bike rally on a bike for the last two years, ill health and covid having put paid to any thoughts I had in this design, But Friday saw me getting home from work, and loading my W650 for the first of the two clox rallies, and heading out into the Friday afternoon traffic as I pointed the front wheel west and Tewksbury, and the destination for the rally at the Lower Lode inn, on the banks of the river Severn in Gloucestershire.

Saturday Sunrise

“Old Smokey” wearing new paint

Kawasaki W650…

For a while now I have liked the Kawasaki W650, and it would appear I am not alone as the prices for nice ones continue to rise as the bike gains a semi classic status, since the release of the W800. And as a consequence I had to look long and hard to find the right bike for myself, and this 2005 model is just that bike, full service history, dealer pack, both keys, no damage, with 20k on the clock it is obvious it has been well cared for, and only two previous owners, perfect.

Setting up for rally season

Luckily it came with a rear rack.

Just needed to throw on the bags, and fit a screen.

Lawson Kawasaki Z1100-R

Now you don’t see many Z1100-R Kawasaki’s anymore, and you really don’t see many like the one I came across today, this bike is just stunning, But I will let you make your own mind up in that direction. I am hoping that maybe the owner, Giles, may drop by and tell us a little about his fantastic bike.

Kawasaki Z1100-R Lawson

Lawson Kawasaki

Z1100-R

Kawasaki

Kawasaki Z1100-R

Kempton Bike Jumble…

So yesterday (Saturday) was a Kempton Jumble, held at Kempton park racecourse at the top end of the M3.  but unlike most Kempton jumbles it rained, boy did it rain, but not all day, and although we were all a little damp, our spirits were high as we mooched about the place…

If you fancy going to one of these events, maybe to buy something or you have stuff to sell, then here is a link to the calendar of events…

http://www.egp-enterprises.co.uk/calendar.html

See, I told you it was wet..

Wet Saturday

Norton Parts

If you have some old Norton parts like these lying around in your shed at home, I would love to hear from you, as I am still trying to find parts for my Norton project…

Three in a Bed

The art of the Cafe Racer

 

Norton and Kawasaki…

I have two pictures from this week, one is of my new alloy tank, for my Norton Clubman project, the other is a nice old Kawasaki race bike, based around an A1 Samurai frame with A7 Avenger motor…

 

Clubman Alloy Tank

Old Kwaka Race Bike

 

 

Mark’s Harris/Kawasaki…

Has new paint…

Mark has just sent me this picture of his Harris Kawasaki project, wearing the new Black paint set, sprayed by “Hutchy” The bike is really starting to look cool now, and it is time to get on with building the motor.

 

Harris Kawasaki

 

Harris Magnum – Kawasaki… Pigford builds a Special..

Mark (Pigford) gets a special, in the form of a Harris Kawasaki…

So, i’ve been hankering after a “proper” trick framed bike for some time now…… And as a dedicated Big Zed Kawasaki fan – when this bike turned up I just had to go for it. Its been sat around, just cobbled together very roughly, for some years. Consisting of a nice green Harris Magnum 1 frame & alloy tank, seat unit, Ducati 916 complete rear end, GSXR1100 USD front end, KZ1000A1 motor & carbs + box of bits; rear sets, clocks, shox, electrics, etc..

Harris Magnum – Kawasaki

Kawasaki Motor

Ducati Swingarm

Right then  – as you know the Harris is all about HANDLING – so I shall not be tweaking the motor too much, I’ve a set of slightly “lumpier” cams and some VM29 smoothbore Mikuni’s. So far I’ve sold the GSXR USD front end and the Ducati 916 rear end – as they are the usual suspects for modded bikes  My plan is to keep it looking a bit more Old Skool. I have a ZZR1100 RWU front end and have tracked down a loverly JMC, double braced swing arm, and some 17″
DYMAGS.

Dymag rear wheel

Down at the Shop

I dropped by my local garage on saturday morning, just to have my K100-Rs checked over, to make sure all was well, as it is now all road legal. And while there, they had a nice Kwaka smoker on the bench….

K100 in the shop

Kawasaki 250

Kawasaki & BMW

Off to the Pub…

Saturday morning started with the sun beating through the bedroom curtains, so I dragged myself from the pit, a quick wash and freshen up, and I headed out to get the Z1b from my lockup. It was warm in the August sun, so I went for the open face helmet and tee-shirt look, and headed out-of-town on the quiet back roads, in the direction of the Four Horseshoes, to see what bikes would come out to play in the sun.

 

My Kawasaki Z1b

 

Brough Superior SS100

 

Dnepr-Reliant

 

 

 

Cafe Culture, out on a Saturday

Saturday today here in the UK started warm and sunny, so I dropped down to the lockup and pulled the Z1b from its slumbers, where it had lain unused for too
long, so long in fact that the clutch had seized, but that was easily freed up, and soon it was sat there burbling away on tickover, while I put the lid on, snicked into first gear and headed out for coffee…

Pretty soon and a short ride away I was parked up in my local MacDonalds, with my first coffee of the day. The bike looked great so I grabbed a quck phone pic, before heading on out.

 

Kawasaki Z1b

 

I like the easy laid back quality of the phone pictures, they look like they were taken with a Polaroid back in the 70’s.

After coffee, I called in at my local bike shop, and topped up the oil in the Zed, before heading out to the Triumph owners club show, and the delights to be seen there…

 

350 Goldstar cafe racer

 

Triton